Chapter 12. Interphone Communications

Section 1. General

12-1-1. PURPOSE

a. The procedures and phraseologies contained in this chapter apply to interfacility and intrafacility telephone communications conducted from any position of operation.

b. Interphone use is restricted to authorized official business only.

c. Monitor interphones continuously. At facilities without ringers keep speaker volume at a level sufficient to hear all transmissions. In the event of interphone failure, use authorized back-up procedures; i.e., commercial telephone, aircraft radio relay.

d. Use the words or phrases in interphone communications as contained in the Pilot/Controller Glossary.

12-1-2. INTERPHONE TRANSMISSION PRIORITIES

Give priority to interphone transmissions as follows:

a. First priority. Emergency messages including essential information on aircraft accidents or suspected accidents. After actual emergency has passed, give a lower priority to messages relating to an accident.

b. Second priority. Clearance and control instructions.

c. Third priority. Movement and control messages using the following order of precedence when possible:

1. Progress reports.

2. Departure or arrival reports.

3. Flight plans.

d. Fourth priority. Movement messages on VFR aircraft.

e. Fifth priority. General messages; e.g., outages.

12-1-3. PRIORITY INTERRUPTION

The words "break for emergency" or "break for control" may be used to interrupt lower priority messages when it is necessary to transmit an emergency or control message.

12-1-4. MESSAGE INITIATION

Initiate interphone messages as follows:

a. Assure line is not in use.

PHRASEOLOGY-
LINE CLEAR?

b. If line is not in use, establish contact with the desired facility and/or position.

EXAMPLE-
Manual signaling:
FSS-(Signals center manually).
Center- "Anchorage Center" or "Sector D-5."
FSS- "Kenai radio. Kenai progress Apache One Two Three."
Center- "Go ahead"
FSS- "Over Kenai...etc." "L-H"
Center- "Roger Apache One Two Three." "C-M"
Voice signaling:
FSS- "Seattle Center, McMinnville Radio, Clearance Request."
Center "Seattle Center, Go Ahead."
FSS- "Request Clearance, Army ......etc."

c. When initiating calls on interphone voice lines, identify the line on which the call is being made.

EXAMPLE-
FSS - "Indianapolis Center, Dayton Radio on the 82 line, departure."

d. When calling or replying on an interphone line which connects only two facilities, you may omit the facility's name.

EXAMPLE-
"Radio, inbound estimate."

e. FSS/AFSS.

1. Inflight position. State the name of the FSS followed by the word RADIO and position, if appropriate.

EXAMPLE-
"Fairbanks Radio."

2. Flight Watch position. State the name of the associated ARTCC followed by the words FLIGHT WATCH.

EXAMPLE-
"Indianapolis Flight Watch."

NOTE-
During transition to EFAS consolidation, nonconsolidated facilities will state the name of the parent AFSS/FSS facility followed by the words FLIGHT WATCH.

12-1-5. MESSAGE TERMINATION

Terminate interphone messages with your operating initials.

EXAMPLE-
"V-N."